Purina

Other names/Nicknames:

• Griffon Belge
• Griffon Bruxellois
• Griff
  

Country/Date of origin:

• Belgium
• 1800’s

Height:

• 7 to 8 inches at shoulder

Weight:

• 6 to 12 pounds

Personality:

• Independent.
• This is not a quiet, reserved lapdog.
• Griffs are active and exuberant.
• Intelligent but quite stubborn.
• Is not easily trained.
• A great bluffer; the Griff will pretend to be the aggressor in confrontations with much larger animals.  It usually backs down.

History:

It is thought that the Brussels Griffon was created by blending Affenpinschers and other toy dogs, notably Pugs and Toy Spaniels.  Its original job was as a ratter in stables and on farms.  Nowadays, it is primarily a companion and watchdog.  There are three varieties of this breed.  They are shown separately in Europe but as a single breed in the United States.  When they are divided, the smooth-coated variety is called the Petit Brabancon; the red-colored, rough-coated variety is called the Brussels Griffon; and, the black or black and tan variety is called the Belgian Griffon.  The Griffon traveled from its native land to England in the 1880’s and shortly thereafter made its way across the Atlantic.

Body Type:

• Stocky, little terrier-type toy with an athletic build and a rough coat.
• Ears are cropped to a point and are carried erect in the United States .
• Tail is docked and is held erect.
• Jaw is undershot but teeth and tongue must not show.
• Muzzle has a distinctly upward turn and is decorated with a full beard and mustache.

Coat:

• Harsh, wiry coat is double.  The undercoat is soft and short.
• Rusty red, black and tan, or solid black are the allowed colors.
• Hand stripping required.

Health and Wellness:

• Cleft lip and palate.
• Hydrocephalus.

What you should know:

• Call this breed Griff for short.
• Griffon in a dog’s name means it has a wiry, or rough coat.
• Both smooth- and rough-coated varieties can be found in the same litter.
• Easily becomes overexcited, almost hysterical.